Fluoride, a very controversial post from a tin hatter 😉

In this week’s newsletter I thought I would share my thoughts on the controversial topic of fluoride 

Now before I dong my tin hat 😉 I want to say that I (Paul) try not to be too dogmatic on any topic. With everything in life I acknowledge there are two sides and context always matters. That said, I do feel like the subject of fluoride in our waterways is something that we should explore rather than mindlessly accepting the status quo. 

So, with that said let’s dive in… 

The need for informed consent 

Every doctor knows that he/she can’t force an individual to take any medication without the patient’s informed consent. 

It’s the docs job to discuss diagnosis (if known) treatment and potential side effects, risks and alternative options. 

This is a legal requirement and an ethical obligation  

Is fluoride a medicine ? … This seems to be the big question and one the government is flip flopping back and forth on. Who knows ? 

But, here’s the thing. If the government’s main objective is to prevent dental decay and fluoridation of the waterways is their way of achieving this, then by default it’s a medication. 

I personally think the government has no right to force us to take medication. Certainly if it may have the potential to cause harm (more on this later) 

On the flip side there are many arguments as to why we should fluoridate. Let’s take a look.. 

Argument 1 – It’s unethical to NOT fluoridate  

Proponents of fluoride believe that it’s unethical to deprive children of the ‘’so called’’ benefits that fluoride may give surrounding teeth.  

The thing is that arguably you’re not depriving anyone of fluoride. Fluoride is available in both toothpaste and tablet form. 

On that note in 1999 the US centre for disease control CDC conceded that the main mechanism of action for fluoride was topical not systemic. In other words ‘if fluoride works at all, it does via direct exposure to the surrounding tooth rather than from inside the body. 

Argument 2 – No one is being forced to drink the water 

The problem with this argument is that if you don’t want to drink fluoride you have to buy bottled water or you have to put a reverse osmosis system in your house. This is not easy and not cheap. Those from low income families don’t really have a choice based on their economic circumstance. But it’s not just low income families. If you want to go for coffee at your local cafe… well you’re probably gonna be getting fluoridated water. Or how about that cup of tea at a friend’s house. It’s nearly impossible to not drink fluoridated water. 

Argument 3 – Fluoride is not a medicine it’s a nutrient 

Some proponents of fluoride will tell you that it’s not a medicine but rather a nutrient. In order to demonstrate an essential nutrient there has to be an onset of disease driven as a result of depriving an animal or human. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified fluorides as unapproved new drugs and stated there are no studies to demonstrate either the effectiveness or safety. Essentially as an unapproved drug it has not gone through the rigorous trials to establish efficacy 

It really goes without saying that it’s pretty questionable to deliver an ‘’unapproved’’ drug via the waterways 

Other issues and arguments 

Some of the other major concerns is that we have a substance that anyone can take as much or as little as they like with absolutely no regard for the person. 

Fluoride is a neurotoxin and taking too much has been shown to be problematic

Even the colgate website (who clearly put fluoride in their toothpaste) warns of excess use. 

There really is no control over who gets this medicine. Those who may have higher risks such as infants, aged, diabetics and those with kidney disorders are all at the whim of the toxic side effects that fluoride may cause. 

Having fluoride in the waterway doesn’t consider the person actually drinking it. And the dose gets larger the more you drink. 1 litre of water they will receive 1mg of fluoride. Drink 2 litres it will be 2 mg. The more you drink the more fluoride you will take on and the greater risk it will have to cause harm. Fluoride is known to be highly toxic in moderate to high doses. 

My concern on a matter like this is for many infants that are bottle fed which just happens to be a large percentage of low income families. These infants are going to be taking far more fluoride as 1 – they are bottle fed and 2 – they are tiny little babies 

That’s a red flag in my book 

The dose for aspirin is not the same for adults as kids. The dose for every drug is not the same for adults as kids. So why is it that the same levels of fluoride is acceptable for adults as it is for kids

To conclude 

The main reason for the inclusion of fluoride to our waterway is for our teeth. 

Clearly seen by this graph, fluoridating the water isn’t helping 

The real problem with tooth decay is driven from poor diet be-it too much sugar. If fluoride actually made a difference then it still wouldnt be the way forward. Adding fluoride is treating the symptom but not actually getting to the root cause of the problem. Fluoride is a quick fix and not the answer. Arguably the potential downside and risks far outweigh the rewards. In the post I have just touched the surface. There are many facets of fluoride that I haven’t even talked about from the rise of fluorosis, the lowering of IQ’s, the disruption and havoc played on the endocrine system, fluoride and the bone, fluoride and the kidney. 

As I mentioned at the start of this post I generally try to not be too dogmatic about anything. I am open to being wrong and would love to hear from you if you have different views/beliefs. 

Rather than simply reinforcing my views I would like to challenge my thought process. 

For further insights into fluoride I highly recommend this documentary. I know you’re busy and 35 minutes is a long time but it could be worth your health.

Yes, I know you have been drinking fluoride your whole life and it didn’t do you any harm. Right. 

I get it, fluoride probably won’t kill you but I am not convinced that it’s going to do you any favours either. In my book it’s just not worth it. Let’s all remember the Hippocratic Oath. ‘’First Do No Harm’’ 

Paul ‘’tin hat’’ Miller